Marine fender

ABSTRACT

The invention discloses a marine fender which is of unique scissors-type construction and is made of readily available vehicle tires to provide a rugged flexible fender for boat and pier use and that is easily built to any size.

United States Patent Crook 1 1 Sept. 26, 1972 [5 1 MARINE FENDER 2,874,669 2/1959 Norman ..114/219 Inventor: S l y R. Crook, Grenene Bridgeport, Cmm 06606 2,842,085 7/1958 Norman ..114/219 [22,] Filed: 1 1970 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler [21] Appl. No.: 48,294 Assistant Examiner-Gregory W. O'Connor An 11 Related us. Application Data omey Mm F en [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 799,159, Feb. [57] ABSTRACT 1969 abandond The invention discloses a marine fender which is of [52] US. Cl 114/219 unique scissors'type construction and is made of s 1 Int. Cl. I 1365b 21/56 readily available vehicle tires Pmvide a rugged [58] Field of Search ..114/219 ible fender for boat and P use and that is easily built to any size. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1,981,182 11/1934 Lyons ..114/219 I 18 4o 24 4o 25 50 4 f t x '5 SHEET a 2 PAIENTEDsms 1912 k; 0 flaw mepwm AM wh m 9 6 rw lvd l MARINE FENDER This application is a Continuation-In-Part of my Application Ser. No. 799,159 filed Feb. 14, 1969, now abandoned.v

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 7 .The fender may easily be constructed of any desired size and weight depending upon the particular application and provides a relatively inexpensive structure that is easily varied because of its building-block formation and may be used in all forms of marine application such as fenders for ships and docks to protect them from damage due to impact forces when vessels or docks engage or contact one another during pushing or docking operations.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the field of boat fenders or bumpers, it has been customary in the past for the sailors to make the wellknown rope fenders during their leisure hours at sea by weaving or braiding them of rope or line that was generally available on board ship. These fenders have taken various forms and sizes from cylindrical or tubular fenders to large mats which required a long time to fabricate. In present day marine industry, the art is somewhat lost and the sailors do not have sufficient time or skill for making such fenders. Further, the size of the fenders, due to larger and heavier applications, has increased to the point where it becomes impractical for the sailors to make them. Consequently, it has become necessary to purchase manufactured fenders and the choice available is limited since the industry is rather specialized. Such fenders have been made by industry from a large number of different materials ranging from wooden beams to worn out tire casings, some being encased in woven rope bindings in various forms to provide cushions for impact resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a marine fender comprising a first stack of rows of horizontally extending half curvedsegments preferably of aligned vehicle tires, such as auto tires, with their curved portions arranged seriatim in an S-fashion. A skeleton support structure is provided including pivotally linked plate means extending horizontally at the top and bottom ends of the stack. These are connected'byplural spaced parallel-rods that extend. vertically through the segments and pivotally connect the plate means together at the plate ends at the top and bottom of the stack to bind the curved segments together in the stack. A second similarly constructed stack of curved segments is provided having its S-rows alternately interleaved with the rows ofthe first stack so the curved segment portions of adjacent rows are oppositely directed so that, viewed in plan, a chainlike appearance is presented. The two stacks are connected together so that at least their respective end pivots are common to each stack so the stacks are connected at the ends whereby the outside faces of the stacks are formed of all outwardly directed curves. For additional impact resistance, additional plate means interconnect the vertical rods together between the adjacent stacks and between the end rods of the stacks. Thus, these additional plate means extend across the stacks to tie them together. Also, additional outward directed segments may be selectively used to fill in. where desired to provide a substantially smooth resilient outer face to the stack. Further interconnection is obtained by having al-- ternate pivot rods common to each stack so that each stack is tied by the common pivot rods to the adjacent varied in size and shape to fit all kinds of requirements.

Thus, the main object is to provide a marine fender of easily and readily available materials that may be made of any size and weight and employs a unique internal linkage using a scissors action to distribute and flexibly cushion impacts throughout the fender.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical tire half segment used in the fender;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the basic skeleton linkage using a scissors-action internally of the boat fender showing some of the resilient tire members widely spaced at one end;

FIG. 3'is a cross-sectional view showing the stackup and orientation from the bottom as the fender is built FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the basic finished boat fender in accordance with the invention and showing a marine application;

FIG. 5 is a view, similar to FIG. 2 with some parts omitted for clarity showing the selective use onone side of additional fill segments to form a recess in the stack face; and

FIG. 6 is a view, like FIG. 4, showing the nesting of the fender over the guard on a boat hull.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a tire half curved segment that forms the heart of the basic building-block arrangement of'the invention. This includes a standard tire, generally indicated at 10, that is sliced substantially into a half segment through its periphery in a horizontal plane as shown and this curved configu-' ration is what is intended by the term segment as used herein. The tire is then cut into any length curved segment desired a partial half segment being shown. As well known, the tire includes casing 12 with the stiff inner beading 14 as shown.

As seen in FIG. 2, there is shown the internal skeleton or supporting basic flexible linkage structure to provide the unique scissors-like action desired and provided by the instant invention. This linkage structure is designed to hold a stack of rows of horizontally extending half curved segments of aligned vehicle tires of the type shown in FIG. 1. These rows are tightly stacked, as will be explained, and supported to permit their flexure under impact load by the flexible linkage structure which comprises an articulated means such as pivotally linked plate means 16 that extend horizontally parallel with the rows at the top and bottom ends of the stack. In order to bind together the tire half curved segments into a first stack in FIG. 2, there is provided a plurality of spaced means to tie the segments together. and these are preferably parallel metal rods 18, 22, 24, 26, and 30 as shown. These plural spaced parallel rods preferably extend vertically, although they could be angled, through the rows of curved segments and, for a scissors action, pivotally connect the plate means together at the ends of each plate at the top and bottom of the stack thereby to bind the segments together in a stack as clearly shown in FIG. 2. In the buildup of the horizontal rows of the tire segments, it will be seen by the segments shown in FIG. 2 that the segments, which are shown widely spaced to illustrate their stacking, are generallyaligned with their curved portions arranged seriatim in S-fashion as shown by separated particular segments 11 and 17 on rods 30, 28, 24, 22 and 18 to form a first stack extending from bottom plates 16 to the top. The second and third adjacent rows at the bottom face one another as will be explained in connection with FIG. 3. Thus, a complete stack of rows of segand stacking may be used as desired by the size of fender required. Also, while metal plates and rods and tires are generally preferred, obviously the construction may, in small sizes, advantageously use other materials such as plastics and belting or equivalents. Further, to transmit heavy impacts on the outer faces 34 and 36 of the fender, it is beneficial to provide addiments of tires is provided and any suitable securing means such as nuts 31 are providedas binding at each end of the vertical rods. It will be seen that the casing edge 32 opposite the beading 14 forms the outer face indicated at 34 of the first stack which is thus formed of all outwardly directed curves of the segments. Thus, the linkage structure of the plate means 16 and rods forms a scissors-like linkage that can be compressed or extended and flex the segments because of their curvature as forces are applied at the end rods or apices of the pivoted plates.

In order to provide a unique transmitting mechanism, a second substantially similar constructed and arranged stack of curved segments is provided on rods- 18, 20, 24, 28 and for the back of FIG. 2. This second like stack of segments has its S-rows of tires such as segments 13 and 15 alternately interleaved with the rows of the first stack so the curved segment portions of adjacent rows are oppositely directed to present an outwardly directed curve on both faces of the fender. In other words, face 36 of the back stack is composed of outwardly directed curves and each row is interleaved with the adjacent row on the other front stack as shown in the separated curved segments in FIG. 2. A second similarly constructed linkage structure of metal plates 38 is provided on the back stack extending and pivotally connected by rods 18, 20, 24, 28 and 30 as shown and concealed conveniently after several rows of segments.

In order to tie the stacks together, it is desired that the two stacks have at least their respective end pivot rods 18 and 30 common as shown in FIG. 2. While this is sufficient to provide the unique scissors-like action of the linkage of the adjacent stacks, it is advantageous to tie them closer together so that not only the end rods 18 and 30 but alternate selected interior rods such as 24, are also common to each stack. It will be appreciated that any number of rods and plate structure tional intermediate plate means 40 which, for convenience may be termed mid plates and which may conveniently be of the same size as plates 16 and 38 and of the same material or equivalent such as similarly shaped tire segments. The plates 40 interconnect the vertical rods together between the stacks and between the end rods 18 and 30, as shown in FIG. 2 at any suitable heights e.g. at foot intervals. While these additional plate means 40 may interconnect the stacks by connection with any suitable rods in either stack, better transmission of impact forces and rigidity is obtained by tying plate 40 at one plate end pivotally to a vertical rod such as 22 on one stack and extending the plate across to the other stack where its other end is pivotally connected to the corresponding vertical rod 20 on the other stack. Thus, better and more desirable impact resistance in cushioning and distribution is obtained by using plate means 40 on opposite rods 20 and 22 and 26 and 28, which are the non-selected or uncommon pivot rods, and on any additional multiple numbers of rods as may be present as shown.

In order to spread the linkage and also present a finished and workmanlike fender, it is desired that the end plates 38 on the back stack preferably should be sealed and to this end the S-arrangement of curved segments may be stacked as shown in FIG. 3. In this figure, the first group of segments is placed around rods 18, 20, 24, 28 and 30 each with its concave portions upward as shown in FIG. 3 forming, in effect, a row. The next row of segments is similarly arranged to abut the first row and the next adjacent row is reversed to thereby form a tubular arrangement as shown at the one end. This provides a tight and neat end appearance whereby only one set of end plates 16 is visible. On top of the tube row of segments another row may be placed and then the end plates 38 of the back stack are inserted and the segments are then aligned substantially to the top of the stack with suitable plates 41 installed, comparable to plates 38, whereupon the tube may be repeated or preferably the stack is merely finished off. This presents a finished appearance when the segments are drawn up into a tight overall fender with only plates 16 showing at the ends and oriented at each end in the same or opposite directions without affecting the operation of the fender.

In order to support the completed fender, any suitable separate hanger means such as 42 may be provided around additional strengthening plates 44 which may also be the same size as plates 16 and 38 and are merely doubled at the hanger means for reinforcement. The hanger means 42 is intended to support substantially the entire weight of the completed fender. The lateral position along the gunwales of the boat or on the dock is fixed by the provision of suitable additional side hanger means 46 which are disposed on end rods 18 and 30 generally in two rings as shown so that the support will extend out from between the rows of half segments.

Thus, the entire fender is built up as described with the rows of plates 38 at each end of the stack being hidden behind another row of curved segments as shown in FIG. 3 to spread the linkage and present a finished appearing fender. The segments may be pierced with suitable holes or apertures as required for sliding over the various rods 18 et seq. Further, thesegments are tightened as the stack is built so that the final securing of the rods by means 31 provides a tightly packed finished segmented fender. Such a completed fender with its outer face 34 is shown in FIG. 4 as it will be used on a boat or deck and is of any desired size. It is shown as it would be applied to vessels such as a tugboat. Any suitable lines or chains 48 may be connected to hanger means 42 to carry the weight of the completed fender as shown and the side hanger means 46 are similarly guided by chains or lines 50 whereby the fender cushions and absorbs the impact between the boat and dock 52 preferably with the face 34 away from the support member as shown, although the fender may be used on either side.

Thus, the basic building block concept of the curved segments is carried out as described to form substantially any practical size fender. FIG. 5 shows a preferred form utilizing the concept described and omitting like parts of the internal linkage of FIG. 2 for clarityand selectively adding additional fill curved segments to form recess means for suitably nesting around common protrusions on ship hulls when the fender is, as is usually the case, carried aboard ship. As seen in FIG. 6, the standard tug may be provided with large bubble-like protrusions in the form of steel guards 54 that can tilt or cock the smooth fender of FIG. 4 if it is not supported on the dock. To compensate for this, the basic FIG. 2 stack structure is provided with additional similarly outwardly directed fill members as segments 56 that are carried by the rods, such as the non-selected or uncommon pivot rods 22 and 26. These fill segments are alternately interleaved with the rows of segment members as shown to complete the outer face in a generally smoothly faired outer curved face as will be apparent. By selectively discontinuing or interrupting the till segments up the face of one of the stacks, a nesting recess 58 is formed in the surface wherever desired as seen in FIG. 5. Generally, this may be substantially at the center of the stack face as seen in FIG. 6. The fill segments are separately and additionally supported generally centrally thereof by fill rods 60 between the non-selected or uncommon rods and so can also be flexed as will be apparent. Rods 60 are suitably topped off and secured by any suitable means such as additional nuts 31 or by simply welding to members 62 and covered as by another fill segment as shown for the lower portion only in F IG. 6. To tighten the outer face, other fillpieces 64 may be inserted between the fill segments or omitted as shown at the bottom and top of FIG. 5 respectively. While not required, a set of similar fill segments 56 will generally be supplied on the opposite or dockside face 34'as shown in FIG. 6. This face will generally be completely filled i.e. without the recess, so that it can face the dock or provide more distance and resisting surface when engaging ships or barges. The. fender is similarly supported as described and shown in FIG. 4 with the recess permitting the nesting for firm uniform support as shown in FIG. 6.

It will be seen that the impact loads on either face of the fender or on the ends is immediately transmitted and absorbed through the flexing curved segments by the scissors-like action of the internal skeleton of plates and rods-so that the load is resiliently cushioned and absorbed and transmitted throughout the fender. The provision of additional mid plate means 40 tends to provide more resistance in direct transmission of the impact loads from one stack to the other and the tying together of the abutting stacks by using certain selected of the pivot rods as common to each stack further coordinates the scissors action whereby impact loads on either fender face or ends are transmitted efficiently and cushioned and absorbed throughout the entire fender by the scissors action and curved flexible segment building block concept of the fender. Also, the addition of the fill segments completes a large load bearing surface area while allowing the formation of a nesting recess for use on tugs with protruding guards.

Thus, the stacks of resilient members are constructed in a building-block arrangement and are substantially alike whether the stacks include the recess or not and the term, as used in the claims herein, is intended to cover such modifications.

It will be apparent that the unique fender disclosed herein is easily and compactly made of readily available and inexpensive materials and can be tailored to whatever size is desired for the particular application. Further, the various curved segments of tires or belting that are used may be segmented in any arc length so that filler pieces may be placed to form a recess as desired and where required in order to provide a compact and homogeneous fender with the aligned stacking using the inherent strength in the bead wires and flexing resistance of the tires as support in the stacks. Any width may be obtained by the addition of pivot rods and end plates and any height may be obtained by merely adding more rows of mid plates and aligned half curved segments which conveniently and cheaply are pieces of vehicle tires. The term half segments is used for tires split generally in the curved configuration as shown in FIG. 1 although the splitting can obviously vary from halves. Consequently, with the buildingblock concept, the structure has no limits as to size and it is merely repetitive for any desired size marine fender within practical limits. Thus, the fender may be manufactured to meet the required specifications for all boats and docks and is relatively inexpensive compared with the old and unsatisfactory fenders as made aboard ships. Further, the weight of the plates and rods may be varied as desired or, in small size fenders, may be plastic or other non-metallic materials depending on the load and particular usage to which the fender will be subjected.

While there have been shown preferred forms of the invention, obvious equivalent variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and the claims are intended to cover such equivalent variations.

I claim:

1 A marine fender comprising,

a first stack of rows of horizontally extending'outwardly curved resilient segment members,

pivoted articulated means parallel to said rows at the top and bottom of said stack,

tie means connecting said articulated means through said segments at the top and bottom and forming the pivots of said articulated means,

a second stack constructed and arranged substantially like said first stack,

selected tie means being common to both stacks,

said articulated means and tie means forming a scissors linkage, and

alternate rows of said stacks being interleaved with one another,

whereby a load against one stack is transmitted by said scissors linkage to and through the other stack.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 where said resilient members are half segments of stacked vehicle rubber tires and nonselected tie means is connected by mid plates with the tie means forming pivots therewith.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein similarly directed filled segments are supported by tie means in said first and second stacks and are interleaved with said rows, the fill segments in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack.

4. A marine fender comprising,

a first stack of rows of horizontally extending outwardly curved resilient members, pivotally articulated linked plate means extending horizontally at the top and bottom ends of said stack,

plural spaced means extending vertically through said members forming the pivots of saidplates and connected thereto binding said members together,

a second'substantially like stack of members having its rows alternately interleaved with the rows of said first stack,

said stacks having selected and including at least their respective end pivots common to connect said stacks together with their curvd members out,

said articulated plate means and spaced vertical pivot means forming a scissors linkage, and

hanger support means on said stacks,

whereby impacts on said stacks are cushioned and transmitted throughout by the articulated scissors action of said plate means.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 where said vertically extending means are rods secured at each end to said plates.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein similarly directed fill members are supported by nonselected vertical rods in said first and second stacks and are alternately interleaved with said rows, the till members in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 5 where additional means interconnect said vertical rods together between the stacks and between the end rods thereof.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 where said additional connecting means are plates pivotally connected at one plate end to a vertical rod on one stack and at the other plate end to the corresponding vertical rod on th other stack.

%. Apparatus as described in claim 8 where said curved resilient members are aligned segments of vehicle tires.

10. Apparatus described in claim 8 where adjacent rows of tire segments at at least one end are oppositely directed to form a tube.

11. A marine fender for ships and docks comprising,

a first stack of rows of horizontally extending half segments of aligned vehicle tires with their curved portions arranged seriatim in S-fashion,

pivotally linked metal plate means extending horizontally at the top and bottom ends of said stack,

plural spaced parallel metal rods extending vertically through said segments and pivotally connecting the plate means together at the plate ends at the top and bottom of said stack to bind said segments together in said stack,

a second substantially like stack of segments having v its S rows alternately interleaved with the rows of said first stack so the curved segment portions of adjacent rows are oppositely directed,

said stacks having at least their respective end pivot rods common to connect the stacks together so the outside faces of said stacks are formed of all outwardly directed curves, and separate hanger means connected to said and to said end rods,

whereby impacts on said curved stack faces are cushioned and transmitted throughout by scissors action of said plate means.

12. Apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein additional similarly directed fill segments are supported by the uncommon vertical metal rods in a stack and are alternately interleaved with said rows, the fill segments in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack, and separate supporting fill rods between said metal rods and disposed centrally of said fill segments.

13. Apparatus as described in claim 1 where additional plate means interconnect said vertical rods together between the stacks and between the end rod thereof.

14. Apparatus as described in claim 13 where said additional connecting means are plates pivotally connected at one plate end to a vertical rod on one stack and each said plate extends across to said other stack where its other end is pivotally connected to the corresponding vertical rod on the other stack.

top plates zg gg v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Dated September 26, 1972 Patent No. ,693, 572

Inventor(s) Stanley R. Crook v It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

the numeral "1" should read 11 Claim 13 line 1,

so that the claim is dependent on claim eleven instead of claim one.

Signed and sealed this ZOthday of February 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

ETCHER JR. ROBERT QOTTSCHALK R TYQEQi TTQ Tficer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A marine fender comprising, a first stack of rows of horizontally extending outwardly curved resilient segment members, pivoted articulated means parallel to said rows at the top and bottom of said stack, tie means connecting said articulated means through said segments at the top and bottom and forming the pivots of said articulated means, a second stack constructed and arranged substantially like said first stack, selected tie means being common to both stacks, said articulated means and tie means forming a scissors linkage, and alternate rows of said stacks being interleaved with one another, whereby a load against one stack is transmitted by said scissors linkage to and through the other stack.
 2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 where said resilient members are half segments of stacked vehicle rubber tires and nonselected tie means is connected by mid plates with the tie means forming pivots therewith.
 3. Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein similarly directed filled segments are supported by tie means in said first and second stacks and are interleaved with said rows, the fill segments in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack.
 4. A marine fender comprising, a first stack of rows of horizontally extending outwardly curved resilient members, pivotally articulated linked plate means extending horizontally at the top and bottom ends of said stack, plural spaced means extending vertically through said members forming the pivots of said plates and connected thereto binding said members together, a second substantially like stack of members having its rows alternately interleaved with the rows of said first stack, said stacks having selected and including at least their respective end pivots common to connect said stacks together with their curved members out, said articulated plate means and spaced vertical pivot means forming a scissors linkage, and hanger support means on said stacks, whereby impacts on said stacks are cushioned and transmitted throughout by the articulated scissors action of said plate means.
 5. Apparatus as described in claim 4 where said vertically extending means are rods secured at each end to said plates.
 6. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein similarly directed fill members are supported by nonselected vertical rods in said first and second stacks and are alternately interleaved with said rows, the fill members in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack.
 7. Apparatus as described in claim 5 where additional means interconnect said vertical rods together between the stacks and between the end rods thereof.
 8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 where said additional connecting means are plates pivotally connected at one plate end to a vertical rod on one stack and at the other plate end to the corresponding vertical rod on the other stack.
 9. Apparatus as described in claim 8 where said curved resilient members are aligned segments of vehicle tires.
 10. Apparatus described in claim 8 where adjacent rows of tire segments at at least one end are oppositely directed to form a tube.
 11. A marine fender for Ships and docks comprising, a first stack of rows of horizontally extending half segments of aligned vehicle tires with their curved portions arranged seriatim in S-fashion, pivotally linked metal plate means extending horizontally at the top and bottom ends of said stack, plural spaced parallel metal rods extending vertically through said segments and pivotally connecting the plate means together at the plate ends at the top and bottom of said stack to bind said segments together in said stack, a second substantially like stack of segments having its S rows alternately interleaved with the rows of said first stack so the curved segment portions of adjacent rows are oppositely directed, said stacks having at least their respective end pivot rods common to connect the stacks together so the outside faces of said stacks are formed of all outwardly directed curves, and separate hanger means connected to said top plates and to said end rods, whereby impacts on said curved stack faces are cushioned and transmitted throughout by scissors action of said plate means.
 12. Apparatus as described in claim 11 wherein additional similarly directed fill segments are supported by the uncommon vertical metal rods in a stack and are alternately interleaved with said rows, the fill segments in at least one of said stacks being interrupted to form a nesting recess in the surface of said stack, and separate supporting fill rods between said metal rods and disposed centrally of said fill segments.
 13. Apparatus as described in claim 1 where additional plate means interconnect said vertical rods together between the stacks and between the end rods thereof.
 14. Apparatus as described in claim 13 where said additional connecting means are plates pivotally connected at one plate end to a vertical rod on one stack and each said plate extends across to said other stack where its other end is pivotally connected to the corresponding vertical rod on the other stack. 